Obedient Service 1 Samuel 3: 4-10, 19

click to Read the passage: I Samuel 3  (a new browser window will open)

               1.      Attentive to the master’s voice.

                        (That the Lord called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I.)

                        God’s children must be attentive to the voice of God.

                        They must learn His ways of communication.

                        They need anticipate willingly and joyfully the call of God, the communication 

                         of a divine God to a finite man.

                        To hear the voice of God is a necessary prerequisite to heeding and carrying 

                        out God’s instruction.

v.5         2.      Aggressively ready to serve the master.

                         (he ran)

                         Not only is there a conscious hearing for God’s voice but there is a spontaneous

                         desire to  serve at God’s very beckoning call.

                         There is no putting off for time or for preferring some other activity.  

                         There is no persuasion of doing it when and if I get around to it.

                        There is a prompt readiness seeking only the opportunity of expression.

                        If a believer were master, what kind of servant would he desire.

                        Matt. 6: 33  motivation or inspiration    (need more emphasis on inspiration;

                        inspiration has a longer life and is more reliable.)

v.5        3.      Makes himself available to the master.

                        (here am I)

                        Not only is there a readiness to serve but the servant makes himself available

                        to his master.

                        There is a significant difference between just doing what one is told when one
                        is told and one who makes himself available.

                        The one available communicates to the master his availability. When he 

                        completes an assignment he comes back for another. (not just “whew” I’m glad

                        that is over.

                        (Example- the way a lot of people offer help--”call me if you need me”)

                        This is truly a servant’s heart- Here am I.

           

v.5         4.     Rests in his master’s instructions.

                        (…lie down again. And he went and lay down.)

                        He doesn’t question, but obeys.

                        A servant must rest in the wisdom of his master.

                        The servant is not to reason out his master’s instructions in order to come to 

                         agreement of his position.

                        As a servant he accepts the responsibilities given by his master.

                        Certainly this is the relationship of bond servant to Christ of which all born 

                        into the Kingdom  of God are.

                        God knows what is perfect and right in every situation.

                        Thus, a servant of Christ has opportunity to always be right, if he simply obeys.

v.6         5.     Willing to exchange his own physical needs to receive an opportunity of 
                        service.

                        And Samuel arose…Lie down again.)

                        (his need to sleep)

                        (certainly a priest and prophet exchanged many physical needs for service)

                        God calls a believer to this type of exchange.

                        There is a denial of the fleshly rule and of the influences of the cares of this
                        age.

                        There are times of sleeplessness while burdened for lives.

                        There are times of sacrifice for the good of others.

                        There are times of laboring in prayer and agonizing for other’s burdens.

                        There are disciplines required for the study of the word.

                        There is a price to be paid for separated living.

                        Jesus instructed believers to deny themselves and take up His cross. 
                        (Matt. 16: 24)

                        Service to Christ is the privilege. There is a price to pay for that privilege.

v.7        6.      Willing to honor the Master without having to understand His purposes.

                        (Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, neither was the word of the Lord yet

                         revealed unto him.)

                        God has designed very great purposes for His children.

                        At the new birth a believer’s understanding of God’s purposes is very limited,
                        yet he can be just as honorable in service as an any later time in his life,
                        because obedience is the issue not the amount of knowledge.

                        As a believer gains Godliness he gains a measure of understanding of God’s 

                         purposes but the way  of faith always provides a believer with the opportunity
                         of obedience without having to have understanding.

                       

                        God’s ways are so far beyond man’s ways.

                        A servant must continually purpose to obey and be content with the

                         understanding God  releases to him.                                   

v.8         7.      Patiently waiting for guidance rather than taking impulsive action.

                        (…Here am I; for thou didst call me.)

                        Servants often are tempted to operate according to their own design, what 

                        they  think is right, without consulting the master.

                        Servants often act impulsively without the tempering of patience and restraint.

                        This gets servants into difficulty.

                        The world today encourages you to be a decision maker-a problem solver. 

                        God encourages  you to be a follower.

                        A servant need wait patiently for the gentle accurate guidance of the Holy
                        Spirit.

                        The way of the Spirit is so much easier, uses less energy, and accomplishes so

                        much more.

v.9        8.       Expects to be used in service.

                        (…if He call thee)

                        A servant gives himself for the master. His desire is the master’s desire.

                        He expects the master to have need of him. Thus, he wants to serve.

                        Certainly the Lord Jesus Christ having called believers out of the bondage of
                        sin has purpose for their life.

                        Thus, God’s dear children may anticipate to be used in the service of the

                         Kingdom. God has a special place of service for each of His children.

v.10         9.    Hears and serves the Master.

                        (Then  Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.)

                        Service is the test. Talk brings no honor without service.

                        Commitment is not commitment without service.

                        Understanding is not true without service.

                        Spiritual exercising is but activity if there is no expression in service.

                        There is gain to the kingdom through service to the King.

                        God desires to give increase to the lives of His children.

                        That which provides God the opportunity of giving increases faith on the part of

                         His children.

                        Faith without works (service) is dead.  (James 2:17)

                        Service is fitting to gain Godliness.

v.19         10.  Knows whom he has believed in--who he has trusted.

                        (And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him…)

                        Samuel obviously learned who he had placed his trust in. His life bore evidence

                        of God’s  sufficiency in his life. Likewise the opportunity of service under the
                        new covenant.

                        Every believer needs to know who he has trusted in and continues to trust in.

                       There will be continuous evidence in his life of his trust in God.

                        There will be validation given by God and placed upon a life to reveal his
                        trusting in God.

                        To face the enemy a servant must know who Christ is.

                         (the demons do and tremble) (James 2:19)

                        The believer must know who he is in Christ.

                        God demonstrates His sufficient rule in the lives of His servants.

                        The message becomes clear whose servants they are.

                        The message of true service exalts the perfectness of the Master.